Need You Now
by swanqueengranger
Summary: Originally written for Swan Queen Week, based loosely on the Lady Antebellum song "Need You Now". After ending a relationship with Emma because she feels disregarded, a grieving Regina finds herself able to still be shocked into silence from the unlikeliest of places.


**Need You Know**

_A/N – So, I was listening to Lady Antebellum and decided to write this down. It is for Swan Queen week, which I have never written for before, but I took liberties with the Divorced Lesbian Mommies prompt. Anyway, this is unbeta'ed and unscanned as it is almost 1 am my time. I just needed to write it. Hope you enjoy. I'll fix all problems tomorrow. _

Pictures litter the mahogany table top in front of her and as much as she has fought to keep them in their designated locked drawer in her office desk, tonight the pull was simply too great.

It isn't as if anyone is here to see her showing a semblance of weakness, anyway.

Henry is spending the night with his grandparents, which means he is probably laughing with his other mother at this very moment.

A deep sigh rattles itself past her lips at the thought and a smiling snapshot of Henry and his blonde mother drops on top of the pile, a shaky hand already reaching for the glass of cider beside her.

As the ciders burns its way down her throat, dark eyes slip closed. It has been so difficult to put up a front of stoic understanding and uncaring about the end of their relationship. But, it is something she has had plenty of experience with.

Try as she might, she knows it was a stupid thing to do anyway, because what possible good could come of giving her heart to someone again? Especially her son's other mother.

Especially the daughter of her enemy.

Especially the only person who had demonstrated on a daily basis that she never bought her act of stoicism….

… the one person she thought had truly seen her.

One tear slips past her defenses and she swats at the traitor angrily and cannot hold back a bark of shaky laughter.

If only her mother could see her now.

The pain in her chest bursts open again and she downs the glass of cider in one gulp.

It isn't like any of it matters now anyway. Not since Emma had made it perfectly clear where her loyalty lay. She honestly shouldn't be so surprised, because hadn't she been waiting for this exact moment since they began their tumultuous coupling?

It hadn't seemed like a wonderful idea at the time, aside from the torture she knew it would inflict upon Snow White and her perfect Charming, but something about the blonde remained steadfast and the draw between them had always been tangible.

If she were honest with herself, it would have been Neverland that had been the turning point. After everything they had been through, it took their son to bring them together.

Funny as he had quite literally been the one to haul the blonde in to her life to begin with.

And as crazy at the idea had seemed when the blonde had kissed her hungrily in the moonlight on the Jolly Roger's deck, the reasons to deny their draw had seemed crazier and so, she had kissed her back.

That was six months ago – to the day, if she were keeping track and to be honest, of course she was. Which was what this whole night was about, wasn't it? Emma refused to tell her parents about them, began spending time with that ridiculous pirate and her ex to please her parents and once again, Regina was left out in the cold.

Except this time, she had snapped.

She had demanded that Emma stop seeing that insufferable man child who fathered their son and come clean about their relationship.

Which, of course, she knew full well wasn't going to go over well.

The blonde was notorious for doing the exact opposite of what she told her.

And true to form, the fight had been explosive and Emma had stormed out of her front door to her angry screams to never come back.

Emma had texted her once or twice, shown up at her front door once with a pitiful look on her face declaring that they "needed to talk", but she had sent her away with a simple question.

"Have you decided on what we discussed?"

A moments' hesitation was the blonde's only reply and that was enough. She had told her quite effectively never to call her again.

That was a month ago.

Surprisingly, for once, the blonde had given her exactly what she wanted.

Except she didn't want that at all really, had she? 

Another deep sigh forced it way from her lungs as the top of the decanter clinked against the glass.

Truth be told, she was her own worst enemy. But the fact of the matter is if the sheriff couldn't bring herself to care enough about their relationship to discuss it with parents she had just discovered, then she knew where she stood.

Hands slowed as the glass rose shakily to her dark lips once more.

Regina Mills could never be accused of being an unintelligent woman. She knew she was being selfish – but damnit, relationships were not something she was good at.

And Emma Swan knew this. She knew who she was before she ever got into this.

And _she_ had kissed _her_.

And so what did she care about the fear she may have at losing the family she had just came to find after a lifetime of loneliness?

What did she care about the pain of having to choose between her family and the woman she shared a child with?

What did she care about anyone else's happiness but her own?

Another deep sigh and another traitorous tear fell. Regina swatted it with deftly precision and wrapped her arms tightly around her middle.

But that was the problem wasn't it? She wasn't happy.

Not without the blonde's insufferable swagger and ridiculous grin. Not without the look of happiness on her son's face when they both said goodnight to him from one room. Not without the pure emotion radiating from green eyes as they lay entwined in her bed sheets.

No, she wasn't happy.

But that was Emma's fault.

And somehow, she was certain Snow White's, as well.

Brown eyes sought out her mobile phone quickly and she banished the thought away with a swift shake of her head. She was not going to give in to this temptation and call her. She had clearly laid the rules out and the blonde had no trouble adhering to them. She was probably laughing with her parents now – arm wrapped around her son as that mumbling idiot of a man laid a ridiculous claim to them.

Anger flared in her at the image her mind conjured, crystal digging hatefully into her palm.

The shrill ringing of her cell snapped the emotion like a dried branch and confusion marred her features as the name flashed across the screen.

Another sentiment of anger flared in her as she chanced a look at the clock and answered the call.

"Mr. Cassidy, do you have any idea what time it is?"

"Regina. I know, and I'm sorry…"

The pathetic nature of this man's voice ripped through her already frayed emotions and she found herself turning angrily, a hand raking through short hair. How dare this man, so entitled to think he could claim her son and Emma… now deign to call her on the phone at this late of an hour?

"How did you even get this number?" 

A moment's hesitation greeted her before Neal sighed. "Emma gave it to me."

That drew her up short. She could hear someone else's voice in the background and pressed her hand over her other ear quickly, panic suddenly flooding her system.

"Is she… is everything all right? Is Henry ok?"

Another moment's hesitation greeted her, "Well…"

"Oh for the love of God, spit it out!"

"Henry's fine. It's actually Emma that I uh…. I'm calling about."

"_Neal, I told you to put the fucking phone down."_

The voice suddenly rang to life inside of her and she knew beyond a shadow of a doubt what was happening. It was as if someone had doused her with ice cold water. Emma was with him, right now and they were calling to rub it in her face.

"Is that Ms. Swan with you now? How dare you…"

"_Whoa, whoa! Calm down_."

Neal's voice cut her off immediately but the exertion and sudden tinny quality in his tone signified he had placed the phone away from his mouth.

So it was Emma he was speaking to.

"_I told you that she doesn't want to speak to me. She hates me."_

"_Emma, that's not true_."

Shaky legs suddenly couldn't support her weight and she snaked a hand behind her to find the couch, sitting slowly upon the cushions as she listened to the strain in the blonde's words.

"_I fucked it up. She hates me and now my parents hate me, too."_

Anger dutifully flared inside of her at the words and Regina gripped the phone tighter.

She had no idea what was happening, but she couldn't just stand to sit here and listen.

"Mr. Cassidy."

"_Just hang on, ok?"_

A far off slam sounded and a winded voice came back over the line. "Regina? I'm sorry, are you there?" 

"Mr. Cassidy...just what the hell is going on? Where is my son?"

She could hear the exasperated sigh and could almost picture the man's hands running through his hair. "He's fine. He is with David and Snow. I promised I'd go pick him up tomorrow and take him to the park."

"How sweet of you."

The venom in her voice was unmistakable and the man was apparently not as stupid as he looked.

"I get it, ok? You don't like me. And I get why, exactly, but I really think you could give it a rest just for one night, ok?" 

Anger once again raced in her veins and Regina slowly rose to her feet. "Excuse me?"

Did this man not know with whom he was speaking?

Another sigh greeted her. "Look, I'm not here to steal anything from you. Trust me, I know I have no leg to stand on. Emma and I… that's never going to happen again and I know that and Henry… I just want to know him. I swear."

Whatever she expected the man to say, that definitely was not it.

Suddenly, a far away noise caught her attention over the line and Neal's voice became distant again.

"_Damnit. What are you doing?"_

She could hear the scuffle over the line and couldn't stop the worry from sprouting across her features at what she presumed was an intoxicated Emma making a break for it.

Go figure.

A small scuffle ensued over the line with much cursing and shoving.

"_Ow! Jesus, Emma…"_

She couldn't help the tiny smile that began to sprout at what undoubtedly was a landed blow.

"_Ok! OK! Just, let me help you… no, it's ok. I deserved it…"_

Ten seconds of shuffling crossed into her hearing before an out of breath voice came back on the line. "Regina, you can go on hating me all you want to, but can you please just open the door?"

Confusion raced across her features as the brunette turned towards her foyer. Swift feet carried her, heart pounding to her front door, eyes already scanning out the curtained window to see headlights at the end of her drive.

Phone still pressed to her ear, she tore the front door open to find the unlikeliest of sights. Neal Cassidy, phone to his ear was sporting a reddening eye and supporting a very intoxicated Emma Swan.

A sigh of relief escaped the man's lungs as he saw the brunette and her eyes shifted immediately to the blonde at his side. Green eyes were rimmed with red as she smiled a watery and uncertain smile.

"Hi."

Déjà vu slammed into her as she lowered the phone and shook her head slowly.

Emma leaned a little heavier into the man's shoulder and pushed herself up a little farther. "I told him not to…"

Brown eyes tore to the man's face as Neal rolled his eyes quickly. "She's a little wasted."

"I can see that."

"Regina…I'm sorry…" a small sob tore its way from the blonde's throat then and fresh tears began to fall.

It took everything in her not to wrap her arms around the woman in front of her, and so Regina wrapped them around herself instead and turned quizzical eyes back to father of her son.

Neal sighed heavily and shifted the crying blonde in his arms. His eyes never left Regina's as he tightened his hold around Emma's waist. "She told them."

Once again, Regina found herself unprepared for the words. "What?"

It came out as a whisper, uncertain as she stared back at the now stoic blonde.

"They hate me…"

It was Neal who reacted first, turning his head roughly to bend down a little closer eye level with the blonde.

"They do not hate you, Emma. They love you."

His eyes flicked towards the door briefly before he bent back towards the woman in his arms. "And so does Regina."

Brown eyes flashed towards him instantaneously and she found him staring directly back at her. For the third time that night, she found herself speechless.

"I had to see you…"

Watery brown eyes sought green once more and the blonde stumbled against the man at her side. "Even if you hate me…"

"I don't hate you."

She was two steps out the door before she even registered she had moved. Soft hands cupped the blonde's chin, tilting her watery, unfocused eyes towards her.

Her throat tightened against the sob that wanted to loose itself and she steeled herself with a deep breath. Green eyes focused on her face momentarily before a watery smile crossed the blonde's lips, dissolving into a heartfelt sob as her face crumpled before the two.

Regina's eyes sought Neal's above her head and he quickly maneuvered the woman to her arms. The moment her arm slipped behind the blonde's back, Emma buried her face in the brunette's neck, her body shaking silently.

Her free hand immediately circled to her back, rubbing calming circles as she whispered soothing words into blonde hair. Brown eyes once again sought the man over her shoulder. Neal sighed deeply, his eyes raking over the sight in front of him before he met Regina's eyes and nodded once.

A sad smile ghosted his lips as they remained staring at each other over Emma's shoulder.

With a deep breath, he stuffed his hands in his pockets and took a step back. "I'll bring Henry by tomorrow. Just uh… let me know when is a good time."

Regina nodded, leaning her head fully against blonde curls as Emma's arms tightened around her. One last look and Neal turned on his heel, one hand scratching at the back of his head as he shuffled down her walk.

"Mr. Cassidy?"

He spun shortly on the spot and turned, eyebrows raised.

Regina hesitated and then tightened her arm around the blonde against her. "Thank you."

A genuine smile brightened the man's face before Neal turned and slipped into the car at the end of the drive.

Regina watched him go with a small smile, a new found respect taking root inside of her. Turning a small kiss to the blonde's hair, she shifted her weight.

"Come on, Emma."

A sniffled breath met her words as Emma took small steps towards the front door, leaning on the brunette heavily. "Regina…?"

The cold air was starting to pour into her silken robe and Regina hoisted the woman's weight a little more, grateful for what she had been missing.

The warmth of the house pulled them in and Emma took a steadier step once they crossed the threshold. "I love you…"

Regina froze on the spot, pushing away slowly to turn her full gaze to the woman at her side. Green eyes slowly met brown as the silence of the house settled around them.

Slowly, a tremulous smile pulled at her lips and Regina shifted to close the door with her foot.

"I love you, too."

A shaky laugh broke from Emma's lips and she leaned forward capturing Regina's lips in a soft kiss.

The door fell closed behind them.


End file.
